Issue Date: May 6, 2007
Entourage
A real-life superagent takes a hard look at the hit HBO series.
The third season of "Entourage" is out on DVD.
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The Show
HBO's hit series about young Hollywood tracks idol Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his pals from Queens. The real star is Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven), Vince's agent who seems fueled by Red Bull.
Our Insider
David Falk is CEO of FAME, a sports and marketing agency. He has negotiated record-breaking contracts for such NBA giants as Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan.
OVERVIEW "'Jerry Maguire' was a shallow look at the agent business. This is realistic. The Vince character is very grounded for a man on the verge of stardom; it's the agent who's over the top."
B-BALL ENTOURAGES "In today's NBA, with the age of the players entering the league decreasing, groups of friends like in "Entourage" are common. Players will try to simulate life back home. My client Mike Bibby has his entourage's name, Team Dime, tattooed on his back. I like the guys: Dane, his brother, his cousin Raymond and about six guys he grew up with in Phoenix."
HONOR THE CONTRACT "Vince wants to postpone 'Aquaman 2,' but Ari does the right thing in trying to get Vince to honor the contract. As an agent, your only loyalty is to the client. But the client isn't always right. Take Terrell Owens. I know T.O. I like T.O. But if you represent him, you have to say, 'Look, you signed the contract, and maybe it's not a good contract for you anymore, but you have to honor it.' Agents should tell athletes what they need to hear, not what they want to hear."
-- David Andrukonis
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